And justice for all

THE SOCIAL NETWORK:The former chief justice Ronan Keane and his wife, Irene Garavan-Keane, were at the launch of The Origins of the Irish Constitution 1928-1941, by High Court judge Gerard Hogan, at the Royal Irish Academy, on Dawson Street in Dublin, on Wednesday evening. Keane is the former husband of the late social diarist Terry Keane.

Clare Tsimpourla, a law student at DIT, brought along her son, Patrick Kekes, who was excited about the arrival of Taoiseach Enda Kenny to launch the book. Young Patrick seized his opportunity for a picture and a high-five with the Taoiseach. As Kenny was giving his speech, Tsimpourla was busy uploading the photo to Facebook.

Kenny read extracts of letters and memos from John Charles McQuaid to Eamon de Valera: “I am deeply grateful for the draft, it is such a joy to see it in print . . .

I beg to enclose a copy of the work I have been at, rummaging in the heads of the last few Popes. I hope it is what you want.”

Former chief justice Thomas Finlay was chatting to former taoiseach Liam Cosgrave. Finlay’s daughter Ms Justice Mary Finlay-Geoghegan and his son-in-law, the former Supreme Court judge Hugh Geoghegan, caught up with retired Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness.

Who we spotted:Siobhan Brady, wife of the late former attorney general Rory Brady; judge Colm Mac Eochaidh; Éamon Ó Cuív TD; Michael McDowell SC; Alex White TD; former judge Hugh O'Flaherty; former editor of The Irish Times Geraldine Kennedy